Yeah, it used to bother me more, because I wasn’t at all convinced that someone couldn’t have heard “an arrow flight.” (I’d like to test it in real life.) But I think coupled with an immediate “go outside,” it shows he was guilty.

Nope, never heard of Einstein Anderson.

But I like your spin on it. A normal person would have said “what the hell does that mean” to the arrow one. I might have said it to either. Certainly not “then let’s go outside.”

Thanks for that trip down memory lane.

Did you ever read Einstein Anderson? (I think it was Anderson…)

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@ Annie, I actually don’t know anything about Nancy Drew. How are those books? Are they meant for girls only?

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I did NOT get that….at all. I even called a friend who is a scientist and analyst….no go. Weak. So weak. Thanks for that Hunter.

Ryan

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Mr. Diamondthief ratted himself out because no one ever said anything about an arrow. He just had arrows on his mind.

Encyclopedia actually said “The diamond is just a narrow flight away,” referring to the narrow flight of stairs he had just come down, the stairs which led to the diamond’s original location. (Alternatively, he said “an arrow flight,” but an innocent person would have heard “a narrow flight” in that situation.)

In the book, it said a guilty person would hear “an arrow flight” and say “Go outside and look for it,” while an innocent person would hear “a narrow flight” and say “Go upstairs and look for it.”

Whether this would actually happen can be debated, but I think it would be very interesting to test it. You’ll notice that when you say “an arrow flight” and “a narrow flight” in a sentence at normal talking speed, they sound extremely similar.

And while you guys had arrows on your mind since an arrow was central to the story, the characters had no idea an arrow was involved (except Encyclopedia). If Mr. Diamondthief were innocent, wouldn’t his thoughts immediately jump to the narrow staircase right in front of him, especially if he knew where the diamond was kept?

But Andrew, back to your first comment, “The fact that he didn’t say ‘pardon?’ and instead immediately suggested they look outside means he understood the cryptic statement.” Yes, this is important.

Even if an innocent person heard “an arrow flight” for whatever reason, they’d say “What the hell are you talking about?” They wouldn’t instantly know that the diamond was tied to an arrow and shot outside. They’d also want to know how Encyclopedia knew that.

Furthermore, an innocent person who heard “a narrow flight” wouldn’t say “go upstairs and look for it.” They’d say “What, did you find it? How do you know it’s upstairs?”

Combining the linguistic ambiguity with Mr. Diamondthief’s instant comprehension, this is how the scenario might have played out if Encyclopedia hadn’t jumped the gun.

—————————————–

Encyclopedia: “Don’t worry, Mr. Diamondthief. The diamond is just an arrow flight away.”

Diamondthief: “Well then, go outside and look for it.”

Encyclopedia: “What do you mean go outside?”

Diamondthief: “To find the arrow.”

Encyclopedia: “I said it’s a narrow flight away, meaning upstairs. Who said anything about an arrow?”

Diamondthief: “Oh sorry, I thought you said an arrow flight away.”

Encyclopedia: “What does that even mean, an arrow flight away?”

Diamondthief: “Well, naturally, I assumed that someone tied the diamond to an arrow and shot it out the window.”

Encyclopedia: “What a perfectly normal thing to assume! Why did your mind just jump to that?”

Diamondthief: “Um, well…”

Encyclopedia: “Say, Mr. Diamondthief, you were on your college archery team, weren’t you?”

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Hint: Did Encyclopedia say something that sounds like something else? Would an innocent person have heard him differently?